Klevan Castle

Klevan Castle

Although it seems, all these architectural delights are not able to create a massive surge of tourist investment in the town, which for many even hidden in Ukrainian regional studies is just another settlement on the way to Radzyvilov splendor of Olyka which is an eternal rival.

Once a town, and urban village on the river Stubli (some time on this river passed the Polish border), Klevan, according to historians, existed already in the XII century, called Kolyvan. In written sources, it was first mentioned under 1458 as the property of Prince M. Chartoryiskyi. Just as Olyka was glorified and rebuilt by the Radziwills, so Klevan is inextricably linked in history with the Czartoryski magnates.

The high right-bank hills of Stubla (it seems that nature has prompted the choice of location) was very convenient for strengthening, no matter how the citizen of Olyka reacted to it. On one of the coastal capes, which is called Gorodische, in the second half of the XV century Prince Fedor Czartoryski(Lutsk elder) restored the castle, surrounded it with a deep moat, which was filled with water Stubla, and strong stone walls. At the same time, two stone towers were built along the corners, five-corner towers in plan. Both towers are relatively well preserved, especially eastern. Their brick walls in some places reached unprecedented thickness - 3.8 m! The third tower, which has not survived to this day, was wooden. The construction of the castle was completed in 1561.

From the description of the Klevansky castle from 1609 we learn that the main defensive function was performed by the western stone bastion with the ledge arranged inside. The eastern tower was less in height and was used to store gunpowder and rifles. Through a deep ditch was thrown four-arch bridge on strong supports. Interestingly, the bridge was decorated with frescoes, the remains of which were still visible in the early XX century.

In 1632 the castle was given to the Jesuits, who arranged their college here. (And again - rivalry with Olives!) After their expulsion in 1773, when the area departed to Austria, the castle stood empty for a long time until Prince Constantine Czartoryski, who decided to create a Polish gymnasium in Klevan, did not rebuild the castle in 1817. The eastern wall was dismantled, and in its place appeared two aisles, where the school was located. This educational institution Russian authorities closed in 1831. In 1834 the gymnasium was transferred from Lutsk, and in two years it passed to Rivne. The castle was empty again, collapsed without due supervision. At the turn of the XIX and XX centuries, the placement of the patrimonial nest of Czartoryski was transferred to the spiritual school.

In 1860. Czartoryski sold their local estates to the Russian Tsar Alexander II. In the palace of magnates located Volyn government. In 1915 during the hostilities the palace was destroyed, neither roof nor windows survived.

The castle is one of the oldest monumental buildings in Volyn. It is too difficult to feel the ancient times of these walls today: a fortress complex with an impressive massive viaduct at the entrance quickly came into a state of ruins. What will happen to the castle further is unknown.

Architectural monument 1475 which located on the lands of historical and cultural purposes.

Condition: partially destroyed, restored

Area: 2.27 thousand m²

Ownership: state

Location: 200 m from the road Rivne-Lutsk.